Adjustable traction device.



No. 686,085. Patented Nov 5, I90].

' .J. H. KIBKPAIRICK.

ADJUSTABLE TRACTION DEVICE.

(Application filed. Mar. 14, 1901.)

(No Model.)

THE

FFICE.

NlTE STATES ATENT JAMES II. KIRKPATRICK, OF UTICA, OHIO.

ADJ USTAB LE TRACTIO D EVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 68 6,085, datedNovember 5, 1901. Application filed March 14. 1901. Serial No. 51,101.(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. KIRKPAT-' RICK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Utica, county of Licking, State of Ohio, haveinvented an Improvement in Adjustable Traction Devices; and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame.

My invention relates to a traction device for vehicle-Wheels. It isespecially adapted to wheels of such vehicles as are propelled by motorsof any description and is designed to prevent the slipping of suchwheels in soft ground.

It consists of radiallyslidable tractionplates movable in and outthrough slots in the wheel rim and means by which these plates areprojected, locked in position while they are moving over the ground,released, and retracted while passing over the upper part of thecircnmferen cc of the wheel.

My invention also comprises details of construction, which will be morefully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a traction- Wheel, showing myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a detail of a traction-plate and its connections.

I have here shown a suflicient portion of a bearing-frame A to supportthe journal 2 of the wheel.

3 is the rim of the wheel, which has transverse slots made through it,as shown, and the blades or plates 4 are projected through these slotsas that portion of the periphery of the wheel carrying the platesapproaches the ground, and when in this position the plates arelocked,so that they will not be forced back by pressure upon the ground,thus retaining them in position to engage the ground and prevent thewheel from slipping. These plates are suitably guided and made either tobe single or may be made in two or more branches. Near the upper endthey have shoulders, as at 5, and these shoulders travel in contact withthe cam-shaped guides 6, which acting upon the shoulders graduallyproject the plates through the rim of the wheel. These guides 6 are hereshown as hinged to some part of the frame, as at 7, and the other end isconnected by a link 8 with a vertically-movable rod 9, having catches10,which are adapted to engage with corresponding stationary catches, asat 11. These catches are pressed into engagement by a spring, as at 12.

The rod 9 may be moved up or down to change the curvature of thecam-guides 6 by simply pressing it back against the spring 12 until theengaged catch 10 is released from 11, when the rod 9 can be moved upordown, as desired. When moved up, it shortens the distance to which thetraction-plates are projected. lVhen moved down, it increases thedistance. The shorter projection of these plates is used when the groundis comparatively hard; but when it is soft the tractionplatesareprojected farther, so as to have a good hold upon the ground. When theplates have thus been projected, it is necessary to retain them in placeagainst the pressure of the ground. For this purpose I have shown bails13, which are normally acted upon by coiled.

springs around their journals, as at 14, and these bails being journaledupon the rim of the wheel near each of the plates 4 the springs will actto press the bails against the plates.

The plates have projecting lugs 15 at intervals, and when the plate hasbeen pushed down the bail will pass over the lug and engage it fromabove, so as to prevent the plate from being pushed back by pressureupon the ground. When the plate has passed the lowest point and isbeginning to rise upon the opposite side, the bail is released bycontact with a fixed arm at 16, which draws the bail back from the lug15 with which it is engaged, and thetop of the bail is then engaged by aspring-pressed latch 17, which holds it back while the plate is passingover a fixed inclined or cam-shaped surface 18, which acts to force theplates back through the slots in the rim, at the same time scraping andcleaning the plates of any adhering earth. Then the plates have thusbeen retracted, the bail 13 is released from the latch 17 by the actionof a fixed arm 19, projecting into the pathof the latch 17 and engagingit, so as to press it back sulficiently to release the bail 13. Thespring let then acts to force the bail 13against the traction-plate,where it remains in readiness to again engage one of the latching-lugs15 when the plate is again projected. In order to prevent these platesfrom slidinginWa-rdly ICO through the slots in the wheel-rim, I haveshown them as being flared or divergent at the outer end, as at 4; butthey may be also retained by stops interior to the wheel, if preferred.The plates may also be retracted by springs in place of or in additionto the cams or inclines 18. By this construction the traction-plates areprojected to the required distance, locked while passing over theground, automatically released, and retracted while passing over theupper portion of the travel of the wheel, thus cleaning them at eachinward movement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a traction-wheel, of plates radially slidablethrough the rim, a cam engaging said plates to move them outwardly, alatch mechanism for retaining them in their extended position, and astop in the path of the latch mechanism for tripping the latter andreleasing the plates.

2. The combination with a traction-wheel of radially-slidable platesextending through the rim, shoulders upon said plates, a cam engagingsaid shoulders so as to extend the plates through the rim, latches uponsaid plates and a spring-pressed bail adapted to engage said latches toretain the plates in their extended position.

3. The combination with a traction-wheel of plates radially slidablethrough slots in the rim, a cam by which said plates are extended,catches upon the plates and a spring-pressed bail by which the catchesare engaged to retain the plates in their extended position, and a fixedarm adapted to disengage the bail to allow the plates to be retracted.

4. The combination with a traction-wheel of plates radially slidablethrough slots in the rim, a cam pivotally secured at one end engagingsaid plates and acting to project them through the rim, and meansconnected with the opposite end of the cam and provided with projectionsby which said cam is adjustable to determine the distance to which theplates are projected.

5. The combination with a traction-wheel of plates slidable radiallythrough slots in the rim, a cam engaging shoulders upon the plateswhereby the latter are forced outwardly, said cam having one end hingedto a fixed point, a slidable rod with which the other end is connectedand latches by which said rod is held at difterent points of adj ustmentto increase or decrease the eccentricity of the cam.

6. The combination in a traction-wheel of plates slidable radiallythrough slots in the rim, a cam engaging said plates to force themoutwardly, lugs upon the plates and a springpressed bail engaging saidlugs to hold the plates after they are protruded, a fixed arm by whichthe bail is disengaged after the plates have passed over the surface ofthe ground, a latch with which the bail is engaged to retain it out ofcontact with the plate until the latter has been retracted.

7. The combination with a traction-wheel of plates radially slidablethrough slots in the rim, a cam engaging shoulders upon the plateswhereby the plates are projected as they approach the surface of theground, a spring-pressed bail and lugs upon the plates engaged therebyto retain them in their projected position, a fixed arm by which thebail is disengaged from the plates after the latter have passed over theground, a latch by which the bail is engaged and temporarily held out ofcontact with the plate, a cam or incline by which the plates areretracted into the rim of the wheel after the bail is disengaged, and asecond arm by which the latch is disengaged and the bail allowed toassume its normal position in contact with the plate.

.8. In a traction wheel, radially slidable bars or plates, means forprojecting them through the rim of the wheel at and during the contactof the wheel with the ground and means engaging the projected ends ofthe bars or plates for retracting said .bars or plates after contactwith the ground has ceased.

9. In a traction-wheel, radially-slidable bars or plates, means forprojecting them through the rim of the wheel, and means carried by therim of the wheel for locking the. plates in their extended positionduring their contact with the ground.

In witness whereof'l have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES H. KIRKPATRICK.

Vitnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, CHAS. E. TOWNSEND.

